Method of forming outlets



Aff;

METHOD 0F FORMING OUTLETS June 213:, 1930.

fl-'n June 24, 1930. cz. T. slEBs METHOD OF FORMING OUTLETS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1929 Patented .lune 24, 1930 Miren STATES PATsNroFi-*ics CLAUDE THEODORE SIEBS, OF CRANFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR `TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N.

NEW YORK Y., A CORPORATION `OE METHOD OF FORMING OUTLETS Y Application filed February 23, 1929. Serial No. 341,968.

This invention relates to methods of forming outlets, and more particularly to methods of forming outletsffor electrical conductors in concrete floor slabs and the like,

and is a division of my copendng application Serial N o. 285,829, iled November 26, 1927, for systems and methods of electrical distribution.

In the construction of concrete floors and the like, it has heretofore been the practice in some cases to mold a system of passageways in the concrete of the floor for the purpose of subsequently receiving electrical conductors for connecting motors, telephones,

,15 or other electrical apparatus to a source of current. In instances where a plurality of motor-driven machines, for example, are to be mounted in spaced relationupon a ioor it is often diliicult to determine, prior to the laying of theloor, the position each macliinewwill occupy, and it is frequently necessary to subsequently move such machines from one locationy to another. It is therefore desirable to provide a method .25 whereby outlets may be readily iformed at any point along the length of thepassageways, so that apparatus located at any point on the floor may be served by the use of a minimum amount of wiring.

The primary object ,of this invention is to provide a simple and economical ymethod of forming outlets for electrical conductors. f The above and other objects will be apparent from the following'detailed `description taken in connection with they accom-g panying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic -plan view of a floor yarea vdisclosing the arrangementof parallel passageways and various positions of 'the loor outlets for serving machines;

Fig. 2 ris a fragmentary vertical sectionalv view taken on the line 2--2`of Fig. l, disclosing an outlet assembly associated with a passageway within the floor slab; f

yFig.r 3 is" a vertical ,sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sideelevational View shownl partly in section of a resilient form for Ato. molding an outlet; g f

Fig. 5 is an inlatable'fo'rm for Vmolding a l floor outlet;

` Fig. 6 discloses the rst step in the method of removing a portion of the floor slab preparatory to the molding of a oor outet; i

Fig. 7 discloses a collapsible form and anv outlet .anchor member associated with the floor slab after the initial step lof breaking through the slab as shown in Fig. 6 has been completed; Y

Fig. 8 is aplan view of the positioned collapsiblel form and anchor member shown in Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 discloses a covering plate in position to seal the floor outlet after the removal of the outlet casting.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be observed that Fig. 1 discloses a room provided with a Hoor which constitutes an upper layer of wooden floor blocks 20 resting upon a concrete slab 21. Along the margins yof the floor are terminal trenches 22 and extending through the concrete slab 21 at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to the trenches is a plurality of unlined passageways 24: which are arranged in parallelism and terminate in the trenches. These passageways V211 may be formed within the concrete slab 21 inv any convenient manner such, for example, as

`by molding at the time the floor slab is laid.

l outlet assemblies indicatedgenerally by the ioo 3l interposed between the conductor guide and an anchor plate to which the guide may be conveniently secured by means of screws 32. The anchor plate 30 is provided with flanges 33 which serve 'when the plate is embedded within the concrete slab 2l toV firmly retain the assembly in a fixed position.

lnlorder to associate one of theoutlet assemblies 26 with one of the previously molded passageways 24 for the purpose of connecting an adjacent machine with electrical conductors, it is first necessaryto remove a few of the fioor blocks 2O as clearly shown in Fig. 6, 'A portion'. of the concrete slab 2l is-then removed to present an opening which is sufficient in width-to permit the insertion of a collapsible form 34 (Fig. 7). This collapsible form comprises a central section 'and sections 37 disposed on opposite sides thereof. Thelower portions of the sections l37 are cylindrical in shape to conform with the cylindrical crosssection of the passageways 24 and a threaded bolt 38 is adapted to be threaded through apertures provided in the sections 236 and 37 when said sectionsare properly positioned Within the passageway.V in introducing the collapsible' form within the passageway 24 the sections 37 are first lowered into position and then the central section is interposed between these sections. A 4filler member 40 conforming in marginal contour with the upper portiony of the anchoring plate 30 and a pairof positioning strips 4l (Figs. 7 and are clamped to the anchoring plate by means of screws 42. These assembled parts arethen lowered into position over the form- 34 until the strips 4l rest upon the upper surface of the concrete slab 2l. lt will beV apparent that .the strips together with the spacing or filler member 4G serve to position the anchoring ineinber a predetermined distance below the upper surface of the slab 2l and after the anchoring member has been thus positioned,

the clamping bolt 38 may be .threadedv through registering apertures in the sections and-S7 of the form 34 to rmly secure said sections in fixed position. Concrete or cement is then poured around the anchoring plate and filler member lso as to coinpletely fill spaces 44 and after the setting of the concrete, the'form 34 maybe removed bv iii-st withdrawing the bolt 38 and then lirting the Vcentralsection 86 bymeans o' handle 45. at the upper end thereof. Haie xing removed the member 35 the sectionsl 57 molded outlet Vand through the opening 29 i within the guide 28. The screws 32 will replace the screws 42 and serve tor clamp the( outlet guide 28 to the anchoring plate 30 withthe upper portion of the flange 42 coplauar with the upper surface of the slab 2l. An extension pipe 49 is threaded within the upper end of the outlet guide and this pipe may be of any desired length', depending upon the distance through which the cable 48 must be vertically extended.V Y rlhe vdoor blocks 20 previously removed for the purpose of molding the outlet are now replaced andthe space surrounding the parts of the outlet casting 28 may be filled with pitch 50 or other suitable packing material. From the foregoing it will be clear that the type of outlet just desc ibed may be conveniently formed without removing a large portion f the iioor'inaterials and the outlet thus formed precludes the possibility of any leakage of moisture fromthe fioor surface into' the passageway 24 above which the outlet is constructed.

Various types of collapsible Ymold-.ing forms might be employed in practicing the molding operation such, for example, as the form 52 disclosed in Fig. 4. This form 52 is constructed of spongy rubber Orother resilient material and may be inserted within an opening formed in the slab 2l and removed therefrom without the necessity of dismantling. The removal and insertion of the formV 52 is facilitated by reason of the fact that the inherent resiliency of the spongy rubber will permit of a temporary distortion thereof in order to introduce and extract the enlarged lower portion of theV form. Y Likewise, as disclosed in Fig. v5, an inflatable resilient Vmolding form 53 might be used to serve in the same capacity and in this instance the form may be easily removed after deflation. All of the moldingV iio be removed and theV guide disassembled from l its companion anchoring member 30 by unthreadlng the screws 32, i A cover plate 55 (Fig. 9) may then be placed in the space formerly occupied by the flange 46 of the outlet guide 28 and the screws 32 again employed to clamp said plate in covering relation with vrespect to the molded outlet. The uppersurface of the covering plate 55 is flush with the surface of the concrete slab 2l and the floor blocks 20 may be replaced. By having such an arrangement the outlet assemblies 26 may be removed without any resulting permanent mutilation of the floor surface and in the event that an outlet assembly should at a future time again be required at this point, the covering plate 55 may be removed and the apertured cover member or guide 2S repositioned in the con# venient manner already described.y

From the foregoing it is to be understood that the diagonal arrangement of the parallel passageways 24 is a very important factor in solving the problemkof supplying outlet openings for conveniently serving machines, desk and other equipment with electrical conductors regardless of the position of the particular equipment to be served or the particular arrangement of groups of equipment. This fact will be'ymore readily appreciated by referring to the kdiagrammatic representations disclosed in Fig. l wherein a few examples of outlet arrangements are shown. Thus, for example, in the first group of eight machines, beginning at the left of Fig. 1, it will be observed that a single outlet assembly 26 is positioned between each pair of machines, while in the second group from the left of Fig. 1, each machine is provided with an individual outlet assembly. In the next group, it will beobserved that the outlet assemblies are positioned' directly beneath each machine and the utility yof such an arrangement might be more readily understood in connection with supplying outlets for a group of office desks. In such instances it is often desirable to bring the electric wires for telephone service and the like upwardly from beneath the desk and by having the diagonal arrangement of the passageways 24, this problem is conveniently solved. Referring to the fourth or last group of arrangedmachinesto the right of Fig. l, it will be observed that the outlet assemblies 26 are positioned at each eXtremity of the group. From the foregoing kit will be readily understood that numerous conditions and difficulties incident to the positioning of apparatus upon a floor area which relate to the provision of suitable outlet openings may be overcome. The ca-v bles 48 which are inserted within the pas* sageways 24 may be conveniently connected with switch boxes 57 located at spaced intervals within the marginal trenches 22 and by having the trenches positioned along the margins of the licor, the conductors orkcables 48 may be introduced within the passageways 24-from either side of the room depending upon the location of the apparatus which is vto be'served. The described arrangement or system enables the serving of apparatus with electricalv conductors with the use of minimum conductor` lengths. Thus it will be apparent that the invention has a very practical application in distributing conductors within larger floor slabs where a relatively large potential drop is experienced if the conductors extend across the entire width of the floor. f i

The described method: of producing out-r lets is particularly applicable' in connection with molded 'or unlined passageways. The

passageways 24 being unlined, precludes the necessity of exercising extreme care in breaking through the surface ofv the concrete slab 21 and the necessity of introducing a particular type of rfitting which would necessarily be employed if a duct or conduit had to be broken into after the upper portion of the slab had been removed and pre# pared or threaded to receive a' fitting. InV

other words, this invention f enables the expeditious molding of an outlet for an unlinedfpassageway as distinguished from the introduction of a fitting to bedirectly connected with or threaded upon an embedded tube ,orl duct;l ABy having the angular or diagonal arrangement' of the unlined passageways andthe type of outlet assembly hereinbefore described, vthe invention presents a mosteconomical and universal system and method of distribution inv floor construction and enhances the practical utility of unlined passageways for electrical conductors.' Likewise the. invention may,- be employed to greatly facilitate the practical application of lined passageways as for example in connection with the proper arrangement of embedded conduits.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a particular type of floor construction as well as special arrangements of apparatus upon a floor area, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous other applications and should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of producing an loutlet in a building slab having a distributive passageway'molded therein, which consists in removing a portion of the slab above the passageway, and molding an unlined outlet for the passageway.

2. The method of producing an outlet in a building slab having a distributive passageway, which consists in removing a portion of the slab above the passageway, and employing a collapsible form to mold an outlet for the passageway.

3. The method of producing an outlet in a building slab having a distributive pas-v sageway, which consists in removing a portion of the slab above the passageway, positioning a collapsible molding form within the passageway and the opening presented by the removal of the portion of the slab,

positioning an outlet assemblyV part within the opening, adding molding material within the space surrounding the positioned part and the form, and then removing thecollapsible molding form. Y

4f.` The method of producing an outlet in a building slab having a plurality of passageways, which consists in removing a portion of the slab material above one of the passageways most advantageously positioned with respect to an apparatus to be served, and molding an unlined outlet for the selected passageway.

5. The method of constructing an outlet in a concrete floor slab having an unlined passageway molded therein, which consists in removing a portion of the concrete slab above the passageway at a point Vdetermined by the location of an apparatus to be served,- associating a collapsible molding form with the passageway, associating an anchoring member with the positioned form, adding cementitious material to the space adjacent the form and the anchoring member, and removing the collapsible form after the cementitious material has set.

6'.v The method of constructing an outlet in a concrete floor slab having an unlined passageway molded therein, which consists in removing a portion of the concrete slab above the passageway at a point determined by the location of an apparatus to be served,

associating a collapsible molding form with the passageway, associating an anchoring member with the positioned Jform, adding cementitious material tothe space adjacent the form and the anchoring member, remov.

ing the collapsible form after the material has set, and sealing the outlet opening.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of February, A. D.

CLAUDE THEODORE SIEBS. 

